


This is Halloween

by QueenOfCarrotFlowers



Series: Carrot's Canonverse Fics [29]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Nightmare Before Christmas Fusion, Crack, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Post-TRoS, World Between Worlds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:54:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25925452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfCarrotFlowers/pseuds/QueenOfCarrotFlowers
Summary: When Ben fades away on Exegol he discovers that the World Between Worlds is nothing like he expected it to be.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Carrot's Canonverse Fics [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801360
Comments: 13
Kudos: 22
Collections: Let's Go to the Movies - Reylo Readers & Writers Prompt Exchange





	This is Halloween

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eirenare](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eirenare/gifts).



> This fic is based on this prompt by Eirenare: **"The Nightmare Before Christmas" AU**
> 
> Eirenare, I am so, so sorry that this is where my brain went when I decided on this prompt. I hope it's funny and that you enjoy it, even though I'm certain that it isn't what you expected. It was a great prompt and I had a lot of fun writing it!
> 
> This fic is rated T although there are very oblique references to sexual activity between Rey and Ben.

After a year of planning and a night of frights and fun, Halloween was finally over. Jack Skellington’s truck had been sighted coming over the ridge, so it was time for the citizens of Halloween Town to sing their celebratory song, to pave the way for the arrival of the Pumpkin King. Everything was going just fine until a hole opened up in the sky and a strange man fell out of the hole and right into the fountain, splashing everyone. It was lucky that there were buckets nearby that they could use to put out Jack’s ceremonial fire, since the fountain was otherwise occupied.

When the stranger from the sky finally woke up, and once he calmed down, he said his name was Ben, and that he came from a land far, far away. He thought he was in a place called the World Between Worlds. He’d never heard of Halloween Town, so the citizens decided to tell him all about it. Ben insisted on responding as they sang, but they didn’t let that throw off their rhythm.

_Boys and girls of every age_  
_Wouldn't you like to see something strange?_

“Sure!”

_Come with us and you will see_  
_This, our town of Halloween_

“I’m here!”

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween_  
_Pumpkins scream in the dead of night_

“That’s different.”

_This is Halloween, everybody make a scene_  
_Trick or treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright_  
_It's our town, everybody scream_  
_In this town of Halloween_

“I can scream but I’m not really keen on dying of fright. I already died once, I don’t really want to do it again.”

Then it was time for the citizens to introduce themselves.

_I am the one hiding under your bed_  
_Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red_

“Nice to meet you, I’m Ben Solo!”

_I am the one hiding under your stairs_  
_Fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair_

“Hello, I’m Ben. The pleasure is mine.”

_I am the clown with the tear-away face_  
_Here in a flash and gone without a trace_

“I’m Ben! That’s a neat trick.”

_I am the "who" when you call, "Who's there?"_

“Oh, that’s… interesting.”

_I am the wind blowing through your hair_

“I need to thank you, then! My hair looks fantastic when the wind blows it around.”

_I am the shadow on the moon at night_  
_Filling your dreams to the brim with fright_

“I’m afraid I’m not so pleased to meet you. I’m not a fan of nightmares!”

_Our man Jack is King of the Pumpkin patch_  
_Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King, now!_

“Hey Jack! Yes, I’ve already met Jack.”

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween_  
_Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!_

“Well hello, Halloween!”

And everybody replied together, “Hello, Ben!”

Ben was well-behaved, despite his confusion, so they decided to let him stay, at least until they could figure out how to get him home. 

Ben claimed to have come from a place called Exegol, and he regaled them with stories of his adventures. How he’d overcome a wizard named Kylo Ren, then battled an evil Emperor alongside his great love, a warrior princess called Rey. How Rey had died and he’d given up his power to bring her back to life, which they all thought was _terribly_ wonderful and romantic. But then he’d faded away and somehow ended up here. In Halloween Town. 

The Doctor agreed to give Ben a place to stay during his visit, which Jack only agreed to because he knew that Sally would be the one providing hospitality. Jack had always liked Sally, quite a lot, she was competent and kind and Jack knew that she would take good care of the visitor. Jack himself didn’t have time to think about it, because he was already worried about how to make next Halloween bigger and better than the last one.

Jack started taking long walks in the forest with his ghost doggy, Zero, while he contemplated. One day he walked farther than ever before, and he found a circle of trees, each one of which had a door, covered with colorful decorations. One door in particular called to Jack; this door was in the shape of a pine tree, and it was hung with shining silver balls and bedecked with gold trim. It was beautiful, and Jack was curious. So he turned the doorknob, and pulled it open.

Immediately he was sucked through, and dropped into something very white and very cold. He was enchanted. He looked up to see a sign: CHRISTMAS TOWN. Another holiday? Jack had never heard of such a thing! He spent several minutes sneaking around, peeking through windows and hopping along rooftops, singing all the while. Everything was going fine until he was struck suddenly from behind, and found himself on his back, with a very angry woman shoving a staff in his face. There was something about her that made him think of Halloween Town’s own Ben, so he went out on a limb and tried calling her Rey. That calmed her down enough for him to explain the situation. She seemed amused to know that Ben had described her as “his great love” and “a warrior princess” but she didn’t seem mad about it. 

Rey explained that after Ben had faded away she’d left Exegol and gone straight to someplace called Ahch-To, where she’d mediated and read magic texts and followed the call of the Force, whatever that was, and it had led her to a door and that door had led her here, to Christmas Town. She’d been befriended by the citizens here, mostly small human-like creatures called elves, who were led by a larger being called Sandy Claws. Rey assured Jack that despite his name, Sandy Claws was a very cheerful soul, and once a year - on Christmas - he delivered gifts to children all over the world. 

Jack thought that this sounded very nice indeed, and even as Rey followed him back up the hill and into the forest, to find the door back to Halloween Town, he was thinking about how he might do a Christmas, if he had the opportunity.

The rest of the story follows quite quickly. Jack and Rey found the door back to Halloween Town, and they found a very worried Zero on the other side. Rey and Ben were reunited, with great joy on both sides. In fact, their reunion was so very delightful that the Doctor and Sally turned up at Jack’s front door that night, asking if they might stay with him, at least until Rey and Ben were done celebrating.

When they weren’t celebrating loudly all over the Doctor’s house, Rey and Ben tried to figure out how to get back to their own world. Jack hardly paid attention; he was busy with his own plans. But apparently they were successful, because one morning about a week after Rey and Jack came back from Christmas Town, Rey and Ben were gone.

They’d left a note, written on the back of one of the Doctor’s blueprints. The penmanship was beautiful.

 _Dear Sally, Doctor, Jack, and the rest of the citizens of Halloween Town,_ it said.

_Thank you so much for your hospitality during such a difficult, formative time in our lives. Your kindness has been deeply felt, but it’s time for us to go home! If you’re ever in the Outer Rim, please feel free to stop by and say hello._

_Most sincerely,_

_Rey and Ben Solo_

Jack thought it was a very nice note, although he didn’t have too much time to dwell on it; he had to prepare for Christmas.


End file.
